The
University of Illinois at Chicago will celebrate International Education
Week Nov. 12-16 with a full schedule of informational and cultural events,
including a global affairs forum, an international resource fair and
a presentation by the Museum of Contemporary Art.

International
Education Week is a partnership between the U.S. departments of Education
and State. Campus events are sponsored by UIC's John Nuveen Center for
International Affairs, which will also host a Nov. 19 reception celebrating
international education and honoring the Consular Corps of Chicago.

Last
year, 275 UIC students studied abroad for credit, an increase of 45
percent over the previous year. In addition, this year UIC has a Rhodes
scholar, three Fulbright scholars and a Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst
scholar overseas.

Campus
officials do not expect a decline in interest in overseas study in the
wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

"There's
been no decrease in the number of students who want to study abroad,
but perhaps some geographic shift in where they want to study," says
Diane Pecknold, director of the UIC study abroad office. "In fact, we
expect heightened interest in international relations. Students realize
they can get a different perspective on the role the U.S. plays in the
world - and how other people perceive us."

In
an August statement, Secretary of State Colin Powell recognized the
role that foreign study plays in strengthening relations with other
countries and preparing U.S. citizens to "live, work and compete in
the global economy." Since Sept. 11, the State Department says it is
now "more critical than ever that we strive to reduce conflicts, support
democratic development and increase understanding through international
education and exchanges worldwide."